spoke to a song when you're going to care ahead of the institute of national security studies in colombo sri lanka he was in one of the hotels and sri lanka's capital were targeted and today's attacks you told us about what you witnessed. an eternity five. a day job last night off and i was well my way down to the cafe has happened but. the table won the day for they have all the people having breakfast and more so than much. and so there was a lot of foreigners and. so many victims from that then. more so than men actually military but access to military defense headquarters was right next to the shangri-la. meeting today there was one of assistance coming from the media who was running while you're walking out of the building they wouldn't run into a fist. so many casualties so. there were some out and there was. bombs from like everywhere like seven seven other bombs from on different different places in sri lanka and some pretty sounding martial even for. the. national guard and i like. the effect on the violent extremist groups. there are so many. groups who are. insured and there could be a.

medical doctor for the sri lankan red cross in colombo we're going to cross over now back to jamila national indian who's the editor of news in asia and a journalist in colombo sri lanka do you hear esther miller yes radio clearly n.p.r. fantastic you've been on the ground all day obviously covering this is this event do you have any more details about the suspects who've been arrested thus far. basically do not have any further information as to the organization of the seven suspects who belong to but just the shock when i let go of the police spokesperson in promise that they did not need a lodging any clothing from mansion. investigations as part of the company so we will just have to wait and see investigations going into tomorrow or the after before actually knowing who has been disposed to vote for this attack so i imagine given that last bit of information that authorities are not in the position to say whether they're confident that david to be detained all the main suspects or if the search is ongoing for more sense yes. yes definitely the search is ongoing for more suspects because i was on ground zero shock trying to go and i did see the parties going into

bring in now jamila knowledge would be an editor of news in asia and a journalist in colombo sri lanka at least two more blasts followed the earlier bombings today what do we know about those. yes hello so the two more blasts just took place a short sighted ago was reported from office if he were the national zoo which was before the trauma large across the top because in large and are not the last was before that somehow to come thick in democrat whatever that was also into that particular colombo so so far what the police are telling us is that some peaceful plus at least about five hundred have been killed and at least one has been arrested on these unknown. you're talking about arrests or do we have any information on who may have carried out these a time. no not yet according to the police these are just suspects who have been taken in for questioning back up to now we do not have any actual information as to who has been designed these attacks where what they have had their heads. of government ministers who have gone on to court saying calling these attacks a terrorist attack an

spoke to a song by a good i think kara head of the institute of national security studies in colombo sri lanka he was in one of the hotels in sri lanka's capital that were targeted in today's attacks he told us about what he witnessed. last month off and i was on my way down to the cafe has happened. the day they have all the people were having breakfast and more so than much. and there was lot of foreigners and. victims from that and. more so than actually military barracks the military defend the headquarters right next to the shangri-la hotel and the meeting today there was one of assistance coming from the military and who was running while you're walking out of the building they would treat running in to assist and. so many casualties so. there was some of it there was. bombs from like everywhere like seven seven other ones from our from different places in sri lanka and some pretty sounding martial even for. the. national guard and i'd like to. see a check on the violent extremist groups. so many. groups. and there could be quite significant coming. and this sort of i mean if you take th

sri lanka more blasts have been reported in the hours after an initial wave of attacks the first six explosions hit colombo as well as the town of now gone bow and in the east of the country a major church in colombo was one of the buildings hit other targets were five star hotels police ordered an immediate curfew and shut down access to social media and messaging service. sri lanka's prime minister has convened his top military officials in an emergency meeting to coordinate a response to the blasts he didn't stay attacks on twitter posting i strongly condemn the cowardly attacks on our people today and call upon all sri lankans during this tragic time to remain united and strong please avoid propagating unverified reports and speculation the government is taking immediate steps to contain the situation. for more details on this developing story i'm joined now by a song kara head of the institute of national security studies in colombo sri lanka

joining us now by phone jamila national an editor of news in asia and journalists in colombo sri lanka jamila is there any information. and it's you who carried out these attacks. high so just a shock while ago prime minister running become a single according to local journalists at his official office that textbook headed by a local group and all of the seven suspects who have been arrested so far locos reach is not only winning out any foreign aid to mention however he has not named as to who is behind these attacks and the police have said they would not be a bunch of us mourning commission to all the investigations are not conclude that. so just to be clear jamila do we know who this local group is and have they been featured prominently in the past. you know at the moment we do not have any information as to who these real close may be all we have been told is that it definitely is a local group because there were dumas being spread that there may be some pardoning convention behind today's attacks but now that has been completely legal is out and seems we do not know which who is

joining us now by phone jamila national mitten editor of news in asia and journalists in colombo sri lanka jamilah thanks for joining us again it's late there in sri lanka what's happening right now after today's respect of that. high so basically the latest is that a curfew is has been a school has seen some doubts and so on and it's got to be the same technically a cry for. providing security to our fares and out all around doing all the explosion site seems that is a curfew in case. everything is clear and the government and the police has urged me not to defy the kofi and not to leave sample everything is great about that the moment must be surreal sort of a ghost town after these events can you can you tell us more about the people authorities believe were behind the attack. yes maybe because we are such offline ago prime minister running become much said that. just now the police have thirteen people have been that extends all of the attacks and the prime minister has said that all of those. back he is now saying that the investigation please comment so find out if these will cause h

developing story i'm joined now by a song kara head of the institute of national security studies in colombo sri lanka mr be you going to care oh we are getting reports of more blast near colombo what do you know. well good. morning starting. the season. around the country different possible again just one more thing. that's like our closer to colombo actually in cologne and the one before that was in davis which is just outside colombo and as you can see they're sort of. doing it in all the night. behind. you know and i. think christian big celebration as well as the the the size of religious worship one of the most popular sites and anthony's church which has also come to the. site of the ship in columbus and so i was. sent off. actually test. that incident last thing the shangri-la out back to back i mean it's a box. on a thirty five and then there was another one. with many victims for him and. this did it targeted the back to say we're on the third floor. and. you could see was actually the military responded immediately to get the ship that acts of the bakery headquarters right next to the shang

wookiee fernando he works on human rights issues with the ngo in form which is based in sri lanka capital colombo mr fernando just hours before today's attack unfolded you had written an article saying christians in sri lanka have come under threat what led you to this conclusion. a number of years and also for the last weeks and months in incidences of violations against this cancer and ultimately. in the light of these continuing to. be strong didn't the people that. i mention that be glad he doesn't suddenly become a cop exception up this concur with the. police not. the churches across the country. so i never expected something like what happened could be could happen i would be very shocked as i think everyone in sri lanka about what happened today i think continuing today for the last several years not at all comparable to what happened could be. we've all been taking a crash course in the wanton demographic as a result of these explosions attacks today i know now that christians only make up about seventy percent of the population can you give us a sense of what is right entering this ill

this is d w news live from berlin and sri lanka a wave of bombings has churches and hotels in the capital colombo and other locations more than one hundred eighty five people have been killed and hundreds more injured police believe suicide bombers carried out at least two of the attacks will get the latest from a witness at one of the targeted also coming up at a comic actor become ukraine's the next president voting stations are open in today's runoff election incumbent president petro poroshenko faces below the mirrors the lengthy a comedian who played a president on television now can you do it for real. i'm nichelle for life thanks for joining us more than one hundred eighty five people have been killed and some four hundred injured in explosions at churches and hotels and sri lanka in the last few minutes reports have come in of another blast close to the capital colombo previously six explosions have been reported in colombo as well as the town of negaunee bo and bus a coloe and the east of the country the earlier explosions went off simultaneously a church in colombo was one of the buildi

kara head of the institute of national security studies in colombo sri lanka mr of a good mystic kara you witnessed one of the attacks today you were inside one of the targeted hotels when it all happened can you tell us about what you saw. the attack was addition. to five first blast went off and this was at the breakfast area on the third floor where the blast went off because it was so many people in. the country there was another blossoms too. to see the founders typing the. wall can up. so my mind to be. to the victims and there were so many victims and. many foreigners also. from the staircase. that was one of the times. but because the nuclear headquarters is right next to the shangri-la. small of help that came immediately. they rushed to the hospital with. a terrorist group so sad moment and a difficult moment for shock. to hear what do we know about the other side targeted . well there was a mention in church is another. one of. those in sri lanka where many christians were pastured. so i think. the title also lost. six other side so forty six i just more than one hundred. t

perpetrators i crossing over now to jamila nash maiden editor of news in asia and journalist in colombo sri lanka do we have any further details jamila about who these suspects are. hi so i received a lot of caps but i think i'm a fan as to which all the nations of the skeptics to be long to actually do have a small thing that they're going because each point in the conflict that they feel is either hard being taken into custody because that stuff been done on the streets and tactical kumble said the funny task a funny thing because at the end that i investigated is going on. or there are authorities confident that they have now detained all the been the main suspects who are here and ongoing search for additional suspects. i think you guys an ongoing operation feel continuing to lead to greater go all of this going throughout the night and probably into tomorrow as then. was that the police believe that there may be more stock picks which could be arrested so i want to leon keynoting and want to be are seeing if these seven maybe not the one the suspects. are going like you said. understandably

perpetrators i let's cross over now to jamila national been editor of news in asia and journalist in colombo sri lanka it's a late there and. jamila but give us a sense of what's happening right now after today's horrific events. high so it could at one thirty in the night shooting on comes time and it to this city at the moment as a plenty as a police go feel has been imposed indefinitely and the police and the government head have urged people to stay indoors and not be fired because if you. already see right now is that the police personnel and try forces on the road who lost their owning the blast site co-op giving protections of the stock us officials who are doing protection to the state institutions and right now what's the i hearing is that security personnel have been able to successfully diffuse a not bake sale to the wife which their phone close to being commissioner apposing the outskirts of the caprica so all we see right now in the capital is very weighty heavy police presence and many presence on the road. camilla we're hearing reports unconfirmed right now but reports nonetheless that

. >>> el domingo de pascua, resultÓ ser sangriento al otro de la del mundo en colombo, sri lanka, diversoso por el cual la autoridad impusieron un toque de queda. >>> hubo una explosiÓn fuerte, subÍ a la azotea y a un kilÓmetro pudimos ver humo blanco. >>> en este momento habÍa un helicÓptero sobre volando el Área. >>> el ataque como una terroris terrorista, el peor episodio al sur de asia en los Últimos 10 aÑos, horas mÁs tardes 7 sospechosos fueron arrestados y durante la redada tres miembros de la uniformada se sumaron al nÚmero de vÍctimas. como gobierno, tomaremos medidas contra cualquier grupo extremista que opere en nuestro paÍs, lo seguiremos sin importar. >>> entre los fallecidos habÍan 11 extranjeros, dos eran estadounidense. es un dÍa muy triste para nosotros,. por su parte el papa francisco, se uniÓ a las reacciones de este ataque, e hizo pausa en muy la misa de pascua para condenarlo ocurrido y ofrecer sus conned leno skwaus a las vÍctimas. >>> otra bomba fue hallada en el aeropuerto de colombo, se desconoce si tiene conexiÓn con la tragedia. mariset berni, telemundo. de vuelt

a special mass for the victims of the easter sunday attacks is being held in sri lanka's capital colombo one week after the bombings all other services across the country have been counseled with concerns about more attacks. in custody after a shooting at a synagogue in the u.s. state of california one person has been killed it's just up to celebrations began to mock the final day of passover. the leader of hamas has called on palestinians to unite against donald trump's peace plan is smale heinie a's says the deal does not include plans for a palestinian state and says the u.s. by. it is favoring israel he is calling for a committee that includes national regional and international players details of transplant still not known. egypt will not accept an infringement of its sovereignty and we as palestinians will not agree to anybody else having sovereignty over our land we also reject being moved to an alternative homeland in jordan let me or putin says he has not ruled out syrian forces backed by russian airpower launching a full scale assault on syria's it live province but not at the

colombo, sri lanka's capital, the first to be hit. we are right outside st. anthony's church where one of the suicide attackers struck. time here forced still at 8:45 a.m. when the first suicide bomber unleashed destruction through the wooden pews as worshippers gathered in prayer. >> the bomb went off and you ran inside the church. >> yeah. >> reporter: this neighbor rushed into the church as soon as he heard the explosion. he told me it was covered in blood and filled with the dead and injured who he brought to the hospital. at the same time about an hour north of the capital a second suicide blast, where the faithful once knelt only glass and debris. a celebration of new life now ravaged by death. minutes later a third explosion shattering a holiday brunch at the shangri-la, a favorite among foreign tourists. >> even from the 25th floor the impact was very loud and my wife and i just wrapped up our things and decided to evacuate. >> reporter: then around 9:00 a.m. almost simultaneous blasts at three other locations. a church on the country's eastern coast

tight across sri lanka the police are searching for seventy people they believe have ties to iceland the death toll has been revised downwards to two hundred sixty an alpha nando's from colombo . sri lanka on high alert with fears of more attacks against worshippers. ome soldiers godson anthony shrine in colombo securing one of the sites attacked on easter sunday outside mosques muslims undergo security checks before attending friday prayers with bomb warnings many decided to pray at home they're gathered here rather thick. should reward a show of solidarity work the priest fear and anger carefully before our brothers and sisters who work here on a big massacre the increased security can be seen everywhere on the streets of colombo prime minister on a vicar missing her told al-jazeera that he intends to find out why warnings about the attacks weren't acted upon we have to admit the failure in intelligence the breakdown in the flow of information. and that's one of the matter that are being investigated right into the truck i mean if not for the lapse many of them would be alive today. intelligence services and the government has been criticised for not acting on warnings abo

i'm sharanjit leyl in colombo. sri lanka grieves — with close to 300 people killed in sunday's bomb attacks, the first funerals are taking place. the shock and disbelief remain raw. outside, shattered glass everywhere, roof tiles that are broken. and all around, a strong smell of blood and death. as the government imposes emergency powers — it's facing more questions about its failure to act on intelligence ahead of the attacks. i'm ben bland in london. also in the programme: the us threatens sanctions on any country importing oilfrom iran after the first of may. tehran calls the move illegal. under the shadow of the skeleton of a blue whale — climate change activists take their protest inside london's natural history museum. it's 1:00am in london, and 5:30 in the morning in sri lanka, where there's growing concerns over a failure of communication in the leadup to sunday's devastating bomb attacks that killed at least 290 people and injured more than 500. a festering row within the government meant the prime minister had lon

spiritual aid for sri lanka the archbishop of colombo speaks out sends his help of every kind for the bombing victims. hello again peace it will be here in doha you are watching anxiously you're also coming up protesters in saddam come out in force again in concert taking part in a mass sit in to demand civilian rule. but the real piece of work that needs to be done is on the fundamental reason why the people of north korea the more than. giving them a reason to go home the u.n. addresses the needs of nearly a million working to refugees in bangladesh. no go for mexico refugees determined to defy donald trump can't escape. there is heavy security in sri lanka outside mosques and churches other places of religious worship two police say they're also hunting seventy people suspected of having links to ice or following sunday's wave of bomb attacks the death toll from the easter sunday suicide attacks has been revised to around two hundred sixty so about a hundred fewer than before the country remains on high alert with more bomb warnings in alpha and us now from colombo. sri lanka on hi

bill neely, nbc news, colombo, sri lanka. >> so many people. >>> back here in the bay area teachers in contra costa county say they need to make sure their students get the education they deserve. so they're asking that the mount diablo unified school district give them what other teacher unions have pushed for, which is more pay and smaller classes. nbc bay area's bob riddell has more. >> reporter: tonight educators and parents are going to rally here at monte gardens elementary school in concord to try to pressure the mount diablo unified school district to give teachers a new contract that has higher pay and better learning conditions for the thousands of students who attend school within the district. he the teachers have been working without a contract since last july. they're not yet at an impasse. and they haven't authorized a strike. but negotiations just aren't going well. in addition to more money teachers want lower class sizes, better support for bilingual students and more librarians, counselors and nurses. the union that represents teachers says that there are only 14 nur

there continues to be security risks and uncertainty in colombo and across sri lanka. what happened yesterday, the attacks, is also unprecedented. it comes 10 years after the end of the war. it is a very novel situation for many. coordinated attacks at the same nearly 300w caused lives, possibly more. we don't know at the moment. had a high casualty number as well as many others injured. so the s situation in colombo is very uncertain. and with securitity situation ns we speak, explosions happening, we really don't know where things stand at the moment. amy: so explain exactly what you understand has happened and who this local group is that many, including the government, say could not possibly have carried out this massive level of , eight different explosions now, almost 300 people dead? it is being called one of the worst terrorist attacks in south asia. >> so what happened yesterday on easter sunday, these eight and majorhurches , and this actually created a lot of fear because people really had no idea. and it came at a time where there was no i information in te

i'm sharanjit leyl in colombo. sri lankanday's bomb attacks, the first funerals are taking place. the shock and disbelief remain raw. 0utside, shattered glass everywhere, roof tiles that are broken. and all around, a strong smell of blood and death. as the government imposes emergency powers — it's facing more questions about its failure to act on intelligence ahead of the attacks. i'm ben bland in london. also in the programme: the us threatens sanctions on any country importing oilfrom iran after the first of may.

just south of colombo and eight attack thirty minutes later during a police raid at a house in colombo sri lanka is no stranger to ethnic and religious strife we have more now on the background of this south asian island nation that has not always been at peace with itself. for many outsiders and tourists sri lanka is a storybook travel destination an exotic island in the indian ocean offering pristine beaches untouched nature and eastern cultural heritage. the postcard tourism pitch is a more complicated reality a british colony until nine hundred forty eight the country kept its colonial era name silent until constitutional reforms in one thousand nine hundred seventy two tree lanka is widely considered to be one of asia's oldest democracies and it's a diverse one while sri lanka's population of twenty one point six million people is predominantly buddhist other religions are also significant can do is make up more than twelve percent of the population while muslims account for almost ten percent. and christians mostly catholic are seven percent of the population. those religions are spread ac

other video shows you a blast that happened near the capitol, colombo, sri lanka. a sense there of where these things are happening, occurring around that city. again, at this point, we understand 140 people in sri lanka have been killed in these blasts. we will continue to follow this and bring you the very latest on cnn. and a live look here. this is live. perhaps video. at the vatican. the vatican there where we're expecting the pope to speak on what happened in sri lanka at some point here during the day. stay with cnn for the very latest on what's happening in sri lanka. i'm george howell at the cnn center in atlanta. "new day" is next for our breaking news coverage as it continues. through the at&t network, edge-to-edge intelligence gives you the power to see every corner of your growing business. from using feedback to innovate... to introducing products faster... to managing website inventory... and network bandwidth. giving you a nice big edge over your competition. that's the power of edge-to-edge intelligence. shaving has been difficult for me. i have ver

coming under attack including refugees did have used in the mission i just met some of them in colombo. sri lanka from pakistan four years ago. she left her home country with three young children and her husband because they were persecuted for being christian. her husband bears burn marks to prove it. but i'm a gamble where she ended up she could practice her feet freely last sunday she applied hem out on her hands and feet to get ready for easter then the blasts hit. mobs descended on her neighborhood of pakistan you refugees attacking homes and threatening reprisals even going on how many you have all or your landlord told us not to return don't even return to if you are not safe here save yourselves and leave we can't offer you any protection we are also a christian who are also grief stricken because our brothers and sisters were killed in this blast but we can't do anything mother and her whole are clear now natasha and over one hundred other refugees are hiding out in the parking garage of this police station women men children christians of muslims of dance and box. the all male one simil

in the attacks which killed more than two hundred fifty people in elfin and as has more from colombo. sri lanka on high alert with fears of more attacks against worship. arm soldiers godson anthony shrine in colombo securing one of the sites attacked on easter sunday outside mosques muslims undergo security checks before attending friday prayers with bomb warnings many decided to pray at all here gathered here rather thick for a good reward a show of solidarity for the priest fear and anger happening before our brothers and sisters who work here on a big massacre with concerns of retaliation religious leaders are calling for reconciliation and the moment we have said we would not and we need masses right now until further notice once we assess the situation and be sure that these people not happen again if we can provide any good security to the people who come to the church then we are starting a small army the increased security can be seen everywhere on the streets of colombo prime minister on a victim a singer told al-jazeera that he intends to find out why warnings about the attacks weren'

reporting from colombo sri lanka thank you thank you very much and to jim u.s. point there is still great sense of shock and awe knees in sri lanka following those attacks and that has unsettled people to the extent that some are finding targets to vent their anger whatever their religion is perceived as nonchalant than are coming under attack including refugees to be used and we should just well met some of them in colombo and filed this report. from pakistan four years ago. she left her home country with three young children and her husband because they were persecuted for being christian. her husband bears burn marks to prove it . but i'm a gamble where she ended up she could practice her feet freely last sunday she applied hair on her hands and feet to get ready for easter then the blasts hit. mobs descended on her neighborhood of pakistani refugees attacking homes and threatening reprisals even going on how many you have all or the landlord told us not to return don't even return to your not safe here save yourselves and leave we can't offer you any protect

let's return to sharanjit in the sri lankan capital, colombo. thanks. sri lanka's the deadliest violence the country has witnessed since the end of its civil war in 2009. joining me now from singapore is nicholas fang, director, security and global affairs at the singapore institute of international affairs joins me now from singapore. just how different were these attacks on sunday from what has happened in sri lanka before?” think there were some interesting new features of this particular attack which surprised many people. historically, the protest violence we have seen in sri lanka, or at least ten years ago when the internal conflict finally entered into thousand largely focused on the conflict between the liberation tigers, which was a separatist movement, what we saw was different on easter sunday, just two days ago, was the attacks targeting tourists as well as, of course, christian churches. those are two particular target groups that haven't really featured very high in any type of violence within sri lanka in the past. and that's why some of the observe

and cnn's nikhil kumar joins me now from colombo, sri lanka with more on this.o, nikhil, what is the latest on this hunt for more suspects as the country remains on high alert, fearing there might be more attacks. >> reporter: that's right, rosemary. there is a very, very palpable fear here in sri lanka. you mentioned the 48, close to 50 people arrested since saturday night. on friday, we had a shootout in eastern sri lanka when police raided some safe houses. they uncovered a massive haul of explosives, 150 explosive sticks, 100,000 ball bearings, a drone, isis flags, other paraphernalia. all of which underline something we've been talking about and observers have been highlighting ever since those easter sunday bombings, the sophistication of this terror cell, now linked to this local terror group that the police here and the security services here are going after. so in the aftermath of that, the fear here is very, very palpable. the country remains on high alert, which is why yesterday one week on from those attacks the christian community here was told not

yogita limaye, bbc news, colombo. sri lanka has declared tomorrow as a national day of mourning. ns are still searching hospitals and morgues for missing loved ones. clive myrie has been speaking to some of those hoping for news. at the police morgue today, the living are looking for the dead. those gathered cluster around a giant video screen, as images appear. grotesque photographs of those they held dearest, still bloodied. it is a particular torment to learn notjust that a loved one has died, but to see how they died. some of the injuries mean visual identification is impossible. this woman survived the attack on st anthony's church. but herfriend in the picture is still missing. translation: i just saw smoke. then i grabbed my daughter's hand and we both ran. when we got outside, we saw dead people. there were small children, and i was covered in blood. it was a global tragedy. these are swiss diplomats trying to locate their missing citizens, as names and pictures are cross referenced against passport details. but it's sri lanka that by far bears the heaviest weight of loss.

international community to do all they can to help in that endeavor meanwhile people here in colombo sri lanka as a whole very much in shock over these attacks the largest terror attack that's happened here in in a number of years and let's bear in mind that this country suffered around thirty years of instability during the civil war it's been ten years since that war ended so sri lanka's were very proud in fact that the country was so stable was attracting so much to receive revenue so for something like this to have happened is he's deeply. shocking and deeply worried for the people of sri lanka and it seems increasingly barassi for a government run an intelligence service. that didn't act properly to prevent the attacks happening charles thank you very much for that us charles trafford with the latest live in colombo thank you. moving on to other news now sudan's military council has ordered paid to stop blocking roads and let police do their jobs and warning columns this protest to say that they will suspend talks with the council that deposed president omar al bashir earlier this month h

with the latest there from colombo sri lanka thank you. and sudan several former government ministers arrested during the overthrow or president omar al bashir have been released. and that is anger thousands of protesters who've been in a sit in for three weeks now outside military headquarters in khartoum they say they won't go home until military leaders immediately hand over power to civilian rule ahmed al reports in the capital. under the scorching sun. outside the sudanese army headquarters in ca to look for friday prayers. the someone is haven laden with political messages condemning the rejean of deposed former president omar al bashir messages to the demonstrations continue until the protesters achieve their goal at a time to civilian rule in sudan. soon as the prayer over the now from the a chance filled the road it will not then we need a civilian government to set up a foundation for a modern sudan followed by elections that have integrity and represent the will of the people. and there's not a sadness husband of the full regime

colombo. sri lanka's largest city and in recent years a tourist hotspot.o killed, three police officers raiding a house when two bombs went off inside. >> translator: in the explosion, three police officers from the colombo crime investigation division were killed. the officers, one sub inspector and two constables were killed when two explosions killed during a raid at a home in colombo where they were attempting to question the residents. >> reporter: the timing has the hallmarks of international terror. next month marks a decade since its bloody 26-year civil war came to an end. >> i would say that this is an attack against the whole of sri lanka because sri lanka is a very multiethnic, multireligious, multicultural country, and the whole country comes together in celebration of easter sunday with the christian and the catholic community, so this is an attack against the sri lankan identity. >> reporter: as a growing list of world leaders condemned the bombings, sri lanka's president expressed shock and dismay, calling all police officers back from east

sri lanka in whatever way possible. two of the explosions took place at catholic churches within the archdiocese of colombo, with sri lankacs. in the wake of the bombings, pope francis offered his condolences to the victims in his easter sermon. translation: to all the victims of such a cruel act of violence. i entrust to the lord all who so tragically died and i pray for the wounded and all those who suffer because of this traumatic event. there's more detail and background to the deadly attacks on our website, including eye—witness accounts and updates as we get them on the victims. do log on to bbc.com/news. stay with us on bbc news. still to come: after months of protests in sudan, demonstrators suspend talks with the ruling military. the stars and stripes at half—mast outside columbine high. the school sealed off, the bodies of the dead still inside. i never thought that they would actually go through with it. one of the most successful singer songwriters of all time, the american pop star prince has died at the age of 57. he was a great musician and, you know, a genius. for millions of americans, the death of richar

as you have reported, eight blasts across a matter of hours here in colombo and across sri lanka. matter of hours here in colombo and across sri lanka. infact, i'm standing here in a place where some of the luxury hotels were hit and, as you can hear, traffic behind me. there had been a curfew earlier overnight. it's been lifted. there will be another curfew later today, tonight, but people are going about their business. they are trying to get over the shock and horror of this attack, some 2a hours after it took place. shop and i get you described. i want to talk about the anger because there does appear to have been some sort of warning that was in circulation, but wasn't passed on to those at the top. absolutely. this is something that the prime minister has talked about, as well. we heard in fact from the minister of communications telling the bbc just minister of communications telling the bbcjust a few hours ago that there was some sort of warning issued before these attacks took place. the authorities knew as early as april 11 that such an attack would take place, but the p

over the fatality numbers as well as intelligence failures and elfin and as has more now from colombo. sri lankaon high alert with fears of more attacks against worshippers. um soldiers godson anthony shrine in colombo securing one of the sites attacked on easter sunday outside mosques muslims undergo security checks before attending friday prayers with bomb warnings many decided to pray at home they're gathered here rather thick for a good reward at a show of solidarity work a priest here and a catholic before our brothers and sisters who work here on a big massacre with concerns of retaliation religious leaders are calling for reconciliation and the moment we have said we want and we need masses right now until further notice once we assess the situation and be sure that these be not happen again if we can provide adequate security to the people who come to the church then we are starting a small army the increased security can be seen everywhere on the streets of colombo prime minister on a victim a singer told al-jazeera that he intends to find out why warnings about the attacks weren't acte

the tiny muslim population here in sri lanka potentially being targeted asa sri lanka potentially being targeted as a result. studio: sharanjit leyl in colombos live from sri lanka, this is from negombo, where, as we have been telling you, it is a day of mass funerals, a day of national mourning as well, for the victims of easter sunday's suicide attacks. negombo, of course, one of the locations where those attacks were carried out and where some of the funerals have been taking place. some news is just some news isjust coming into us of the death of the footballing legend billy mcneill, a celtic legend, who passed away late last night surrounded by family and loved ones. he had suffered from dementia for a number of years. billy mcneill was 79 years old. he led the lisbon lions stand become european champions in 1967, the first british side to do so. 0ver his 19 year playing career, all of his 822 club games as defender were in green and white, a celtic record. celtic legend billy mcneill dying, the football clu b legend billy mcneill dying, the football club confirmed this morning, late last night. he had been suffering from dementia and w

sri lanka. >>> let's get a closer look at the aftermath of the sri lankan attacks with jeff who is from "the new york times" joining us from colomboi lanka. good to have you with us, jeffrey. >> reporter: thank you. >> i'd like to start by getting your thoughts around the article that you co-wrote with colleagues in "the new york times." you talked about the breakdown in intelligence monitoring that happened there in sri lanka, specifically, jeffrey, that memo that warned of a possible suicide attack but that memo that was never passed on and in the article, you suggest everything from political infighting to a brain train as a result of the civil war that led to missed warnings and a botched investigation. >> yeah. this place has been really hard hit and full of grief because of these attacks. people are shocked. therapy saddened by the loss of loved ones. everywhere you look in the city, you see white funeral flags flapping in the wind marking where somebody lost their life. on top of that is this growing frustration that this could have been prevented because the sri lankan government had detailed information, weeks before this

debate about a transitional states but accepting this new reality well ram enjoining us from colombo sri lanka thank you very much. and sudan several former government ministers arrested during the overthrow president omar al bashir have been released and that is angered thousands of protesters who have been in a sit in for three weeks now outside military headquarters in khartoum they say they won't go home until military leaders immediately hand over power to civilian rule ahmed our reports from the capital. under the scorching sun. outside the sudanese army headquarters in ca to look for friday prayers. the someone is haven laden with political messages condemning the of deposed former president bush messages to the demonstrations continue until the protesters achieve their goal at a time to civilian rule in sudan. soon as the prius the now from the a chance feel the road it will hold up then we need a civilian government to set up a foundation for a modern sudan followed by elections that have integrity and represent the will of the people. and there's a lot of sadness husband of the full

journalist jamila nudge modine the editor of news in asia speaking to us from the sri lankan capital colombo well the attacks in sri lanka overshadowed easter festivities at the vatican pope francis was holding easter mass as news of the attacks came in worshippers had gathered in st peter's square to hear his traditional blessing for the city of rome and the world from the balcony of st peter's basilica pope francis mourned the dead and condemned the bloodshed you see there no money for studying them yet through said i want to express my love and support to the christian community. targeted while they were gathering in prayer and all the victims of cruel violence. and i entrust to the lord all those who were tragically killed and pray for the wounded in all those suffering as a result of this traumatic event francis appealed to political leaders to put aside their differences and work for peace. that's what made the one who gives us his peace and the roar of weapons both in areas of conflict and in our cities and inspire the leaders of nations to work for an end to the arms race and the troubling spread of weapons and.

bill neely, nbc news, colombo, sri lanka. >>> more on the victims of the attacks in sri lanka, including this fifth grader who attended sidwell friends school in northwest d.c. stephanie gosk spoke with the boy's family. >> reporter: kieran was a fifth grader who dreamed of being a neuroscientist. en 11-year-old who had t time off from washington, d.c. prestigious sidwell friends school to study inri lanka, now among the youngest victims killed in the bombing. >> he was a very special young man. very special. >> reporter: kieran was having breakfast with mother and grandmother at a hotel when a suicide bomber blew himself up at the buffet. he texted his dad just mfoutes be the attack. >> now he's never going to be a teenager. he was going to do great t for the world and the terrorists have taken something from this world. >> reporter: most those killed on sund wereri lanka attending easter services but this is a hub for business and tourism. the lobbies ofur three lux hotels attacked were packed with foreigners. from at 30 people least a dozen different countries lost their lives. diedra

colombo sri lanka's capital saw 3 blasts at 3 high end hotels. the 7th and 8th blasts came hours later at a hotel in dc while amount live any a and at a private residence in demo to go to. officials haven't said what prompted the bombings though it appears the primary target is sri lanka's minority christian population. a predominantly buddhist nation christians account for less than 10% of sri lanka's 21.4 million people. census data estimates 82% of the christian population identifies as roman catholic, the pope condemned the attack during easter mass prayers in vatican city which he several arrests were made in connection to the attacks. investigators are combing through the debris for clues as sri lankan authorities work to identify the victims, including the dozens of foreigners killed on its soil. i'm rick damage. el are reporting. >>senator mcconnell harris tweeted in response to the deadly bombing saying in part. i'm horrified by the attacks in sri lanka. we're so many families were celebrating such a joyous day praying for the victims an

ivan watson has just spoken with the prime minister in sri lanka and joins us live in colombo, sri lankaious intelligence failures? >> reporter: it is staggering what we're hearing about is almost a systemic intelligence failure with staggeringly fatal results. just take a listen to an excerpt from my conversation with the sri lankan prime minister. >> middle class, upper middle class. well-educated. educated abroad. we're looking at that for a connection. these people are monitored by intelligence. >> they were being monitored? >> they were being monitored. >> son-in-law of tme of the sui >> yes. >> they carried out the deadly attacks. >> -- the prime minister has saying that some of the suicide bombers were being watched for hate speech. but they didn't have enough evidence to bring them in. not entirely true. because cnn learned that one of the suicide bombers who attacked the hotel up the road from where i'm standing right now was detained by security forces at one point and then released under political pressure from one of the country's governors. that has to do with the profile of

>> reporter: taerror has been sown here, but -- >> and cnn's nikhil kumar joins me now from colombo, sri lanka with more. so, nikhil, what is the latest? on the hunt for more suspects as the country remains on high alert fearing more attacks there. >> reporter: that's right, rosemary. the country is on high alert and there is this ongoing search for more suspects, people who might be plotting more attacks. dozens of people were arrested over the weekend following that shootout in eastern sri lanka that sam referred to in his report. and, you know, the hall thole te security serves uncovered as they raided those places, 150 sticks of explosives, ball bearings, isis flag, other paraphernalia, all of that pointed to the sophistication of this terror cell. we know from sri sri lankan mps who told cnn their security details had received warnings of further attacks in the works. so this is very much a tense and a fluid situation that is still unfolding as the authorities here dry to get ahead of this group and other perpetrators who might be out there. coming in concern in the aftermath of the easte

sri lanka has seen. yogita limaye, bbc news, colombo.at report from colombo, and we'll be hearing more from her in just a few minutes here on newsday. a few hours after the attack, a government minister, harin fernando, told my colleague martin stanford that sri lankan police were briefed about the threat of an attack 10 days ago but the prime minister wasn't informed. the report from the ministry investigation department, the security commission, had this political details. as you are aware, the law and order minister is the president, so therefore there was a problem of miscommunication, and this was raised by the cabinet ministers how this particular report was not taken seriously. the million—dollar question was, this was sent on the 11th of april and no proper government official actually had their hands on it. u nfortu nately, had their hands on it. unfortunately, none of the government members of the cabinet have security clearance like the president. they are hoping to meet the president tomorrow to see how this gap of communicat